Wilmington City Council Supports Black Caucus Position That State Senate Owes the Children of Wilmington a Vote on Education Reforms
Wilmington City Council President Theo Gregory today joined with his Council colleagues in urging the Delaware State Senate to vote on a pair of Delaware House approved measures that will reform the education system in Wilmington. House Joint Resolution #12 and House Bill # 424 would redistrict schools in Wilmington and provide additional funding for City school students based on the recommendations of the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission (WEIC).
Gregory said Council has been alerted by the Delaware Black Caucus that there are efforts underway in Dover for the Senate to consider an alternative bill and resolution which would negate the need for Senators to vote on the House measures. The alternative Senate plan would scuttle the work of the WEIC and appropriate $200,000 for an additional study of the redistricting and funding issues.
“The children of Wilmington and their families are entitled to a vote by the Senate on the equitable funding and redistricting plans,” said Gregory. “It is the will of the people, in Wilmington and beyond, as expressed by support for the WEIC recommendations, that significant changes be made as to where our children will attend school and the amount of money being spent to provide them with a substantive education system. It is time for the Senate to carry out the will of the people.”
The Delaware Black Caucus (DBC) today issued its own news release saying the failure of some Democrats in the Senate to support HJR 12 and HB 424 is a continuation of the pattern of separate but equal being inherently unequal in Delaware. The DBC said it will immediately request that the General Assemble ask the Attorney General Matt Denn to issue an opinion as to whether the transporting of children out of Wilmington to the Colonial School District for the past 13 years and the transporting of students to high schools in the Christina School District are violations of the Neighborhood Schools Act. The DBC said it would also ask the courts to determine whether the Neighborhood Schools, Charter School and Choice School Acts are unconstitutional. Finally, the DBC said it will seek judicial relief to obtain funding for high poverty schools throughout the state of Delaware similar to recent court rulings requiring legislatures in New Jersey and Kansas City, Kansas to appropriate additional millions of dollars to schools serving lower income children.
The DBC went on to say that the Delaware Senate’s inaction on the House approved measures means the blatantly discriminatory practices which are currently tolerated against the City of Wilmington and its children will continue.
For more information about this news release, contact:
John Rago
Communications and Policy Development Director
Wilmington City Council
Phone: (302) 576-2149
Mobile: (302) 420-7928
Email: jrago@WilmingtonDE.gov